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LONDON. — Thomas Partey has been left out of Arsenal’s pre-season squad to travel to the United States.
The £50 million Ghanaian midfielder did not fly out with the rest of his Gunners team-mates yesterday.
The 29-year-old is expected to continue training in London alongside Bernd Leno and Folarin Balogun, according to The Times.
Partey also did not travel to Germany for the 5-3 win over Nurnberg on Friday, in which Gabriel Jesus scored again.
However, the club’s top earner on £200 000 a week, did play 45 minutes in the 5-1 win over Ipswich in his return after a thigh injury picked up in April.
Arsenal play Everton in Baltimore on Sunday followed by games against Orlando City four days later.
They will then face Chelsea a week on Saturday in Orlando, Florida, to end the tour.
Leno is staying behind as he looks to leave the club this month ahead of the new campaign.
He is wanted by Fulham in a £10m deal and has been offered a three-year contract.
The Cottagers are struggling to get it over the line — but talks were continuing yesterday. The 30-year-old has fallen down the pecking order in North London, behind Aaron Ramsdale.
And the Gunners snapped up US keeper Matt Turner this summer from New England Revolution.
The group of players heading off on their tour of America is likely to include a host of stars with uncertain futures, including Hector Bellerin, Nicolas Pepe and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus was on the scoresheet again as Arsenal played a secret friendly at London Colney.
The Gunners had one final run out before jetting off for their pre-season tour of the USA.
The in-house friendly reportedly ended 1-1 with Jesus adding to his pre-season tally.
Jesus scored twice on his debut in a 5-3 win over Nuremberg in Arsenal’s first pre-season friendly last week.
It took just 90 seconds for the Brazilian to announce himself with a thunderbolt at the near post getting him off the mark.
Three goals in two games means the former Manchester City star is off to a flyer and Arsenal will hope his form continues overseas. Next up is a friendly against Everton in Baltimore on Sunday before a trip to Florida to take on Orlando City.
Mikel Arteta’s side then face Chelsea in the Florida Cup to round off their pre-season tour of the states.
The two clubs are in talks over a deal for N’Golo Kante and the Frenchman could complete the switch before they play each other. Kante’s contract expires next summer so Chelsea risk losing him for nothing.
But the Blues are willing to cash in on him now to avoid that nightmare scenario.
Thomas Tuchel’s side reportedly want £33million for the midfielder, but the Gunners believe they can snag him for just over £16m in the next week. — The Sun
Online Reporter